Is New Zealand losing it's "New Zealandality"?

Question

New Zealand sees immigration of around 50 000 - 60 000 a year of which the majority are Asians.

http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=86

Yet New Zealand loses the same amount of it's citizens to Australia, England and to lesser degrees USA, Canada, Ireland.

This signifies a 3% change of "culture" or "cultural population" yearly - the change being towards Asian.

I worked in New Zealand for a year, a while back. Beautiful country and generally a great friendly helpful bunch of people.

However the immigration department is a disaster - to be as polite as I possibly can.

I have a qualification in Civil Engineering, work experience, perfect English and come from a culture very similar to New Zealand.

Yet I had to wait 13 weeks for my permit - once I had already found a job in New Zealand.

My immigration consultant (an Indian lady) had me "jumping hoops" and living on the edge while watching my savings dwindle to nothing during my application period.

Answer 1

your link to the 2nd article, which is more recent than the first (figures from Nov 2007) shows that the highest number of immigrants into NZ since 2003 have been from the UK more than half the number of the next group of immigrants (Indians).

so you could say that the change is no longer so much towards asians, your own link proves that....

"The MAJORITY of FOREIGNERS immigrating to New Zealand came from the UNITED KINGDOM, at 7,400. This number is down from the 11,300 that arrived in the year ending in November 2006. This number was followed by India (3,500), the Philippines (3,200), Fiji (2,400), South Africa (1,800), and China (1,700).

China led the number of migrants arriving in New Zealand during the years ending November 1996-2003, BUT THE UK HAS BEEN LEADING SINCE THAT TIME"

Answer 2

Yes it's true, "NZers" are getting fed up with the poor immigration policy and the poor quality of immigration officials employed by the government, (one  senior official which had to resign lately due to breaking policy and bringing in family members from the islands against the law) and that is only the tip of the iceberg.....There is a lot of fraudulent activity going on in immigration, including blackmail and favouring overseas family members etc.  The government needs to look into this urgently so we don't lose good and genuine people like you!

Answer 3

I don't blame you for being pissed off.  But my answer to your question is no.  NZ has the youngest national identity in the world.  As recently as 1970 our news announcers spoke with fake Pommie accents.  I've lived in NZ since 1968 and in spite of immigration from Africa, Asia and Latin America, which is a worldwide phenomenon, affecting just about every country except North Korea, in my view, NZ has a more distinctive national identity now than it had in 1968.  Evidence; more local slang, Maori cuisine, local writers, poets, musicians and painters.  And these local artists are starting to take an interest in NZ, Antarctica and the Pacific, not just Britain and Europe.

Answer 4

ho yes, i was in kiwi for a few months with my wife and one of my daughters and little boy, that was 2007, before that i have been in new zealand working as a shearer, the amount of asian people there is unreal, all of them own cash businesses,mainly on the north island, i was asked to leave a sheep skin warehouse where i was looking for a pair  of boots for my other daughter in the uk, i was asked to leave the shop with my daughter because they thought we were maori's, and they told us this is not for local people ,it is a tax free gift shop for overseas people and we must have a passport with us , this was a korean business in rotarua, my wife could not believe it as they tried to usher us out of the door ,it is hard to understand how someone who cannot speak a word of english has preferance over british people who have basically the same culture and ancestory as most kiwi's, i look upon european new zealanders, and maori's the same as me, and would always welcome them in the uk. it would be great to feel they felt the same way when people want to emigrate to new zealand, your not on yer own mate a lot of people feel the same way as you, i'm hoping to go to kiwi and i'm having to buy my way in , I HOPE, emigration experts they try to make you think they know something you don't, thats not true, and yes they will have empty your pockets ,any one returning to new zealand after being away for several years will find a very big change in culture especially on the north island, of course the south has always been my preference,PS.when i say buy my way in don't misunderstand me, i'm a working class man hoping to sell up here in UK. and buy a business for me and my wife, a certainly don't have a big wad to wave at anybody, i just enjoy the new zealand way of life, and new zealand people maori or europian,

Answer 5

I think it's a good thing. Immigration is important.

13 weeks for a permit? Seriously, I hate to say it but that is only 3 months. I know of many people from NZ in the UK who have spent just as long waiting for a permit. Admittedly civil engineering is on the skills list (i think) so i would have thought it was quicker.

As for people who talk about people from the colonies being able to settle - well sorry, but India (as referenced by some people here) was a former colony to the UK, just like NZ, Australia, Canada and SA.   As for losing its citizens to the UK and Australia, yes there is a huge migration flow to Australia. A large number of people do migrate to the UK also but these tend to be on WHV (Working Holiday Visa's and then later HSMP/Tier One where they eventually return to NZ.

There are certainly issues relating to a persons wealth, income and purchasing power. However, blaming immigration won't be the answer.

Answer 6

yeah i no

Answer 7

why dont you stick to your own countrys. problem solved. we didnt ask for the foreigners. if it were up to me i'd DENY all.

Why would i find myself as a refugee? look outside your statistics mate, its an ANSWER to your useless question. as i said before go back to your third world country because if your jumping hoops theres a reason. i look forward to karma, whats your statistics on the time it takes to get to someone?

Answer 8

You bring up many points which looked at collectively make for interesting reading. To begin with; to answer your original question; This country will never lose its identity.

Your assumptions are based on migration loss and migration gain.

When the British arrived here back in the day, Maori, the occupants of Aotearoa at that time, were doomed to obscurity. Through  the introduction of new diseases, diet, lifestyle and to an extent the effects of The Land Wars of the 1800's etc there numbers plummeted. However a resurgence occurred in the 1970's and there numbers began to grow and grow they did and still do. The point here is that although immigration by another culture nearly wiped out another, somehow, someway the Maori survived this onslaught.

The same applies today. Although there is a proliferation of Asian cultures arriving here and also South African and Zimbabwean peoples, there is no proof or suggestion that New Zealand will lose its New Zealandality as you so cutely put it. What has happened here and its quite inspiring really, New Zealanders are embracing certain concepts and traditions of many cultures. This is especially so when you see how integrated all things Maori are so solidly embedded in everyday New Zealand life.

New Zealands Immigration Policies and Procedures seems to be the result of bureaucratic stupidity at its worst. It is extremely unfortunate that people such as yourself have to 'fight' there way to get in while others simply wave a wad of greenbacks and get the all clear. We will one day as a nation face the impending problems created by a bunch of pen pushing money hungry idiots. We are a resilient people and we will overcome this just like the many other idiotic decisions made by just as many idiotic bureaucratic fools.

Answer 9

sure is,but dont worry she;ll become a sate of australia soon and that will spare her since we share a culture and language with our kiwi cousins.oh yeah i forgot, we'll be asian ourselves by then.looks like we,re both doomed.